Arthur Blyth
Encyclopedia
Sir Arthur Blyth KCMG
(19 March 1823 – 15 February 1890) was premier
of South Australia
three times; 1864–1865, 1871–1872 and 1873-1875.
In 1850 he married Jessie Ann, daughter of Edward Forrest, who survived him with one son and two daughters. He was created KCMG
in 1877 and C.B.
in 1886. A good business man of great common sense Blyth was in eleven cabinets and was three times premier. It was, however, a difficult time for legislation and beyond the Torrens
real estate act
which Blyth supported, comparatively little important legislation was passed in his period.
on 21 March 1823. His formative years were spent in Birmingham
, England
and he was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, and arrived with his parents in South Australia in 1839 on the "Ariadne" at the age of 16. His father, who was appointed a Justice of the Peace and became a Councillor of the City Corporation in 1840, and afterwards one of the City Commissioners, established an ironmongery
business in Hindley Street, Adelaide
, which Blyth entered with his brother Neville. He interested himself in municipal work and was a member of the central road board. In 1855 he was elected for Yatala in the old legislative council
and assisted in framing the new constitution. Early in 1857 he was elected as one of the representatives of Gumeracha
in the first house of assembly, and in August became commissioner of public works in the John Baker
ministry which, however, was defeated on 1 September. On 12 June 1858 he was given the same position in the Hanson
ministry, which remained in power until May 1860. In October 1861 he held the treasurer
's portfolio in the Waterhouse
ministry which, however, was reconstructed nine days later, when Blyth dropped out. He came back to the ministry, however, as treasurer in February 1862, and was selected as one of the three representatives of South Australia at the intercolonial conference held shortly afterwards.
and commissioner of crown lands and immigration, formed his first ministry, but it was difficult to do useful work, much time being wasted in no-confidence motions. Blyth resigned on 22 March 1865, was treasurer in the third ministry formed by Henry Ayers
but was out of office again in little more than a month. In March 1866 he became chief secretary in James Boucaut
's first ministry from March 1866 to May 1867. He was treasurer again in the first John Hart ministry in September 1868, but this ministry was defeated three weeks later. He took the position of commissioner of crown lands and immigration in the second Hart ministry, which lasted from 30 May 1870 to 10 November 1871, when Blyth formed his second ministry, but resigned only ten weeks later.
, and after a stern fight passed a free, secular, and compulsory education bill through the assembly. This was defeated in the council. It succeeded, however, in passing an act incorporating the University of Adelaide
.
In February 1877 he was appointed agent-general for South Australia in London
and held the position capably for many years. He was a councillor of the Oxford Military College
in Cowley and Oxford
Oxfordshire
from 1876-1896. He was one of the representatives of South Australia at the 1887 colonial conference. He died in Bournemouth
, England on 7 December 1891.
in the Mid North of South Australia, is named in his honour.
(later the first Bishop of Manchester), and with his family sailed to South Australia in 1839.
Early in the forties Neville joined his brother Arthur at their father's ironmonger business, and the two were actively engaged in the trade up to 1865. At his father's death Neville Blyth was sole executor of his estate and, characteristically, first repaid debts his father had incurred in England but legally wiped out by his insolvency.
He was elected a member of the House of Assembly for East Torrens at the general election in March 1860, as colleague of H. Mildred, represented that district during three Parliaments until July 1867, when he resigned rather than be forced to break a promise, and was succeeded by Daniel Fisher. In April, 1868, he was elected to the fifth Parliament as member of the Assembly for the district of Encounter Bay, with W. Everard as his colleague. He was Treasurer from 21 September to 13 October 1868 in the Hart cabinet and tbe crisis that preceded the formation of Strangways' Government. Having represented Encounter Bay until the end of the fifth Parliament he was chosen by the District of Victoria to succeed W. Paltridge as the colleague of Park Laurie. In 1871 he stood for the District of Encounter Bay, but was defeated and decided to quit politics, but in March, 1877, he was elected member for North Adelaide to fill the vacancy left by his brother, now Sir Arthur Blyth, when he was appointed Agent General.
In the last Boucaut Ministry, which lasted from 26 October 1877 until 27 September 1878, Neville Blyth was Minister of Education, and had as his colleagues J. P. Boucaut, Sir William Morgan
, Charles Mann
, G. C. Hawker
and T. Playford
. Forced by ill-health to return to England, he settled in Sutton
in Surrey
, living off the rents from his substantial South Australian properties. He died eleven years later.
, but of liberal persuasion. He strongly opposed State aid to churches and fought for the rights of the working classes.
He supported C. Emily Clark (sister of John Howard Clark
) and Catherine Helen Spence
in the formation of the "Boarding-out Society" for orphans.
during a trip to England. She survived him; they had no children. He was survived also by three brothers — Sir Arthur, W. W. Blyth, of Gover Street, North Adelaide, who was more than five years his senior, and Howard Blyth of Edinburgh
, Scotland
.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(19 March 1823 – 15 February 1890) was premier
Premiers of South Australia
Before the 1890s when there was no formal party system in South Australia, MPs tended to have historical liberal or conservative beliefs. The liberals dominated government from 1893 to 1905 with Labor support, with the conservatives mostly in opposition. Labor took government with the support of...
of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
three times; 1864–1865, 1871–1872 and 1873-1875.
In 1850 he married Jessie Ann, daughter of Edward Forrest, who survived him with one son and two daughters. He was created KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in 1877 and C.B.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1886. A good business man of great common sense Blyth was in eleven cabinets and was three times premier. It was, however, a difficult time for legislation and beyond the Torrens
Robert Torrens
Sir Robert Richard Torrens, GCMG was the third Premier of South Australia and a pioneer and author of simplified system of transferring land.-Early life:...
real estate act
Torrens title
Torrens title is a system of land title where a register of land holdings maintained by the state guarantees an indefeasible title to those included in the register...
which Blyth supported, comparatively little important legislation was passed in his period.
Early life
He was the son of William Blyth and his wife Sarah Wilkins, was born at BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
on 21 March 1823. His formative years were spent in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and he was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, and arrived with his parents in South Australia in 1839 on the "Ariadne" at the age of 16. His father, who was appointed a Justice of the Peace and became a Councillor of the City Corporation in 1840, and afterwards one of the City Commissioners, established an ironmongery
Ironmongery
Ironmongery originally referred both to the manufacture, and the place of sale of iron goods produced for domestic rather than industrial use. The usage of the term has expanded in recent times to include consumer goods made of aluminium, brass, or other metals, as well as plastics...
business in Hindley Street, Adelaide
Hindley Street, Adelaide
Hindley Street is located in the West End of the centre of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It runs between King William Street and West Terrace. The street was named after British parliamentarian and social reformist, Charles Hindley....
, which Blyth entered with his brother Neville. He interested himself in municipal work and was a member of the central road board. In 1855 he was elected for Yatala in the old legislative council
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
and assisted in framing the new constitution. Early in 1857 he was elected as one of the representatives of Gumeracha
Gumeracha, South Australia
Gumeracha is a town near Adelaide, South Australia, located on the Adelaide-Mannum Road. It is located in the Adelaide Hills Council local government area. At the 2006 census, Gumeracha had a population of 731.-History:...
in the first house of assembly, and in August became commissioner of public works in the John Baker
John Baker (Australian politician)
John Baker was an early South Australian pastoralist and politician. He was the second Premier of South Australia, succeeding Boyle Finniss; however, he only held office for 12 days from 21 August to 1 September 1857 before being succeeded by the third Premier of the colony, Robert Torrens.-Early...
ministry which, however, was defeated on 1 September. On 12 June 1858 he was given the same position in the Hanson
Richard Hanson (Australian politician)
Sir Richard Davies Hanson , was the fourth Premier of South Australia, from 30 September 1857 until 8 May 1860, and was a Chief Judge from 20 November 1861 until 4 March 1876 on the Supreme Court of South Australia, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State of South...
ministry, which remained in power until May 1860. In October 1861 he held the treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
's portfolio in the Waterhouse
George Marsden Waterhouse
George Marsden Waterhouse was a Premier of South Australia from 8 October 1861 until 3 July 1863 and the seventh Premier of New Zealand from 11 October 1872 to 3 March 1873.-Early life:...
ministry which, however, was reconstructed nine days later, when Blyth dropped out. He came back to the ministry, however, as treasurer in February 1862, and was selected as one of the three representatives of South Australia at the intercolonial conference held shortly afterwards.
As premier
On 4 August 1864 Blyth, taking the positions of premierPremier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
and commissioner of crown lands and immigration, formed his first ministry, but it was difficult to do useful work, much time being wasted in no-confidence motions. Blyth resigned on 22 March 1865, was treasurer in the third ministry formed by Henry Ayers
Henry Ayers
Sir Henry Ayers GCMG was Premier of South Australia five times between 1863 and 1873, but is perhaps best remembered for having Uluru/Ayers Rock named for him.- Overview :...
but was out of office again in little more than a month. In March 1866 he became chief secretary in James Boucaut
James Boucaut
Sir James Penn Boucaut KCMG was an Australian judge and politician, Premier of South Australia three times: 1866–1867, 1875–1876 and 1877–1878.-Early life:...
's first ministry from March 1866 to May 1867. He was treasurer again in the first John Hart ministry in September 1868, but this ministry was defeated three weeks later. He took the position of commissioner of crown lands and immigration in the second Hart ministry, which lasted from 30 May 1870 to 10 November 1871, when Blyth formed his second ministry, but resigned only ten weeks later.
Third time as premier
On 22 July 1873 he again became premier and this time took the portfolio of chief secretary. This ministry was a comparatively stable one and lasted until June 1875. It succeeded in doing something for immigrationImmigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
, and after a stern fight passed a free, secular, and compulsory education bill through the assembly. This was defeated in the council. It succeeded, however, in passing an act incorporating the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
.
Later years
On 25 March 1876 Blyth became treasurer in the third Boucaut ministry which resigned less than three months later.In February 1877 he was appointed agent-general for South Australia in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and held the position capably for many years. He was a councillor of the Oxford Military College
Oxford Military College
Oxford Military College was an all-male private boarding school and military academy in Cowley, Oxford, England, from 1876–1896. The military college opened on 7 September 1876. Prince George, Duke of Cambridge was the patron of the Oxford Military College....
in Cowley and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
from 1876-1896. He was one of the representatives of South Australia at the 1887 colonial conference. He died in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, England on 7 December 1891.
Recognition
The township of BlythBlyth, South Australia
Blyth is a small town in the Mid North of South Australia, located west of the renowned Clare Valley. It has a population of 306, the farming community spanning the plains between the Clare Hills and the Barunga/Hummocks ranges...
in the Mid North of South Australia, is named in his honour.
Neville Blyth
His brother, Neville Blyth (March 1825 – 15 February 1890) was some two years younger, was also born in a suburb of Manchester, educated at King Edward's Grammar School under the Rev. Dr. LeeJames Prince Lee
James Prince Lee, MA, DD was an English clergyman who became the first Bishop of Manchester.-Early life:...
(later the first Bishop of Manchester), and with his family sailed to South Australia in 1839.
Early in the forties Neville joined his brother Arthur at their father's ironmonger business, and the two were actively engaged in the trade up to 1865. At his father's death Neville Blyth was sole executor of his estate and, characteristically, first repaid debts his father had incurred in England but legally wiped out by his insolvency.
He was elected a member of the House of Assembly for East Torrens at the general election in March 1860, as colleague of H. Mildred, represented that district during three Parliaments until July 1867, when he resigned rather than be forced to break a promise, and was succeeded by Daniel Fisher. In April, 1868, he was elected to the fifth Parliament as member of the Assembly for the district of Encounter Bay, with W. Everard as his colleague. He was Treasurer from 21 September to 13 October 1868 in the Hart cabinet and tbe crisis that preceded the formation of Strangways' Government. Having represented Encounter Bay until the end of the fifth Parliament he was chosen by the District of Victoria to succeed W. Paltridge as the colleague of Park Laurie. In 1871 he stood for the District of Encounter Bay, but was defeated and decided to quit politics, but in March, 1877, he was elected member for North Adelaide to fill the vacancy left by his brother, now Sir Arthur Blyth, when he was appointed Agent General.
In the last Boucaut Ministry, which lasted from 26 October 1877 until 27 September 1878, Neville Blyth was Minister of Education, and had as his colleagues J. P. Boucaut, Sir William Morgan
William Morgan (Australian politician)
Sir William Morgan KCMG was the Premier of South Australia between 1878 and 1881.-Early life:William Morgan was born in Bedfordshire, England, the son of George Morgan, a farmer, and his wife Sarah, née Horne. He emigrated to South Australia, arriving in Port Adelaide on 13 February 1849 in the...
, Charles Mann
Charles Mann (advocate-general)
Charles Mann was the first South Australian advocate-general.-Biography:Mann was born in Syleham, East Suffolk, England, son of Charles Mann and his wife Sarah, née Moxon...
, G. C. Hawker
George Charles Hawker
George Charles Hawker was an Australian settler and South Australian politician.-Early life:Hawker was born in London, the second son of Admiral Edward Hawker and his first wife Joanna Naomi, née Poore. He was educated partly on the continent, and entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1836 George...
and T. Playford
Thomas Playford II
Thomas Playford served as Premier of South Australia from 11 June 1887 to 26 June 1889 and 8 August 1890 to 20 June 1892, as well as serving as the Australian Federal Minister for Defence from 1905 to 1907....
. Forced by ill-health to return to England, he settled in Sutton
Sutton, London
Sutton is a large suburban town in southwest London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Sutton. It is located south-southwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. The town was connected to central London by...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, living off the rents from his substantial South Australian properties. He died eleven years later.
Social Concerns
He was a communicant of the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, but of liberal persuasion. He strongly opposed State aid to churches and fought for the rights of the working classes.
He supported C. Emily Clark (sister of John Howard Clark
John Howard Clark
John Howard Clark was editor of The South Australian Register from 1870 to 1877 and was responsible for its Echoes from the Bush column and closely associated with its Geoffry Crabthorn persona.-Early years:...
) and Catherine Helen Spence
Catherine Helen Spence
Catherine Helen Spence was a Scottish-born Australian author, teacher, journalist, politician and leading suffragette. In 1897 she became Australia's first female political candidate after standing for the Federal Convention held in Adelaide...
in the formation of the "Boarding-out Society" for orphans.
Family
On 14 April 1852 he married Julia Barns of Everton or ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
during a trip to England. She survived him; they had no children. He was survived also by three brothers — Sir Arthur, W. W. Blyth, of Gover Street, North Adelaide, who was more than five years his senior, and Howard Blyth of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.