George Shenton Sr
Encyclopedia
George Shenton was a pharmacist
, merchant
, banker and philanthropist
in colonial
Perth, Western Australia
.
George Shenton was born in Winchester
in England
on 2 January 1811, the second of four sons of a wealthy silk
manufacturer. At the age of fifteen, he was apprenticed to a pharmacist named William Bilton. Bilton and his family were Wesleyans
, and during his apprenticeship Shenton became a Wesleyan himself. In 1832, at the age of 21, Shenton migrated to the Swan River Colony
. His decision to leave England
was sudden, and appears to have been a result of a falling-out between Shenton and Bilton. Shenton's cousin William Kernot Shenton had been in the colony since 1829, and this probably also influenced Shenton's decision.
George Shenton arrived in the Swan River Colony in January 1833. He had a substantial amount of family money with him, and there is evidence to suggest that he put it to immediate use in aiding his cousin, who was in financial difficulties. Shortly after George Shenton's arrival, William Kernot Shenton obtained four and a half acres of land at Point Belches
(now Mill Point), South Perth
and began construction of a mill
. The mill began operation in August under the company name W.K.Shenton & Company. George Shenton was certainly involved in the running of the mill, as he was at the mill, alone, in April 1834, when the mill was raided by a large party of Aborigines
led by Calyute
, who stole nearly half a ton of flour
. In 1835, construction of a new mill began. The fate of the original mill is unknown, but the new mill stands today; known as The Old Mill
, it is Perth's best-known historic landmark.
In May 1838, George Shenton opened for business as Perth's first chemist
. The business was immediately successful, and in September he moved to larger premises. On 29 November 1838, he married Annie Catherine Cousins; they would have thirteen children.
Having consolidated his pharmacy business, Shenton began to diversify, importing clothing, household goods, furniture, and eventually almost anything for which there was a demand. He also became involved in banking, becoming a director
of the Western Australian Bank on its establishment in 1841. Meanwhile, he continued his work as a pharmacist, taking on Edmund Birch
as an apprentice in 1845.
In 1845, Shenton became involved in the export of Jarrah
and Sandalwood
, and began to investigate the possibility of mining and exporting natural resources such as copper
, lead
and coal
. In 1848, he joined with Anthony O'Grady Lefroy
and Robert Habgood in the establishment of the Geraldine Mining Company, to mine the seam of galena
that had been discovered in the Champion Bay district by Augustus Gregory
.
Shenton gave strong support to the Wesleyan Church throughout his life in the colony. From 1841 he was secretary of the Wesleyan Committee, and was a member of the Wesley Church
Building Committee. He donated both money and medicine to the church and its missions.
George Shenton died on 5 March 1867, when his schooner
, The Lass of Geraldton, capsized off Mandurah
in a storm. His financial affairs were taken over by his eldest son George
, who himself became one of the most prominent merchants in Western Australia, a Mayor of Perth, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council.
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
, merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, banker and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
in colonial
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
George Shenton was born in Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
in 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...
on 2 January 1811, the second of four sons of a wealthy silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
manufacturer. At the age of fifteen, he was apprenticed to a pharmacist named William Bilton. Bilton and his family were Wesleyans
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, and during his apprenticeship Shenton became a Wesleyan himself. In 1832, at the age of 21, Shenton migrated to the Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
. His decision to leave 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...
was sudden, and appears to have been a result of a falling-out between Shenton and Bilton. Shenton's cousin William Kernot Shenton had been in the colony since 1829, and this probably also influenced Shenton's decision.
George Shenton arrived in the Swan River Colony in January 1833. He had a substantial amount of family money with him, and there is evidence to suggest that he put it to immediate use in aiding his cousin, who was in financial difficulties. Shortly after George Shenton's arrival, William Kernot Shenton obtained four and a half acres of land at Point Belches
Point Belches
Point Belches is a small point on the south side of Swan River, Western Australia, about 250 metres east of The Narrows within the area known as Perth Water...
(now Mill Point), South Perth
South Perth, Western Australia
South Perth is a residential suburb 3 kilometres south of the central business district of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, which adjoins the southern shore of Perth Water on the Swan River...
and began construction of a mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
. The mill began operation in August under the company name W.K.Shenton & Company. George Shenton was certainly involved in the running of the mill, as he was at the mill, alone, in April 1834, when the mill was raided by a large party of Aborigines
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
led by Calyute
Calyute
Calyute also known as Kalyute, Galyute or Wongir, was an Indigenous Australian resistance leader who was involved in a number of battles with white settlers and members of other tribes in the early days of the Swan River Colony, in Western Australia. He was a member of the Pindjarup people from...
, who stole nearly half a ton of flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
. In 1835, construction of a new mill began. The fate of the original mill is unknown, but the new mill stands today; known as The Old Mill
Old Mill, Perth
The Old Mill is a restored tower mill located on Mill Point in South Perth, Western Australia. Today, restored to its original 1830s condition, it is one of Perth's best known historic landmarks and serves as a sightseeing attraction....
, it is Perth's best-known historic landmark.
In May 1838, George Shenton opened for business as Perth's first chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
. The business was immediately successful, and in September he moved to larger premises. On 29 November 1838, he married Annie Catherine Cousins; they would have thirteen children.
Having consolidated his pharmacy business, Shenton began to diversify, importing clothing, household goods, furniture, and eventually almost anything for which there was a demand. He also became involved in banking, becoming a director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the Western Australian Bank on its establishment in 1841. Meanwhile, he continued his work as a pharmacist, taking on Edmund Birch
Edmund Birch
Edmund Birch was a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1873 to 1875.Born in England in 1831, Birch emigrated to Western Australia on the Parkfield in March 1841. There he was apprenticed to George Shenton Sr as a pharmacist. From 1852 to 1853, he was an assistant at the...
as an apprentice in 1845.
In 1845, Shenton became involved in the export of Jarrah
Jarrah
Eucalyptus marginata is one of the most common species of Eucalyptus tree in the southwest of Western Australia. The tree and the wood are usually referred to by the Aboriginal name Jarrah...
and Sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
, and began to investigate the possibility of mining and exporting natural resources such as copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
. In 1848, he joined with Anthony O'Grady Lefroy
Anthony O'Grady Lefroy
Anthony O'Grady Lefroy CMG , often known as O'Grady Lefroy, was an important government official in Western Australia before the advent of responsible government....
and Robert Habgood in the establishment of the Geraldine Mining Company, to mine the seam of galena
Galena
Galena is the natural mineral form of lead sulfide. It is the most important lead ore mineral.Galena is one of the most abundant and widely distributed sulfide minerals. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system often showing octahedral forms...
that had been discovered in the Champion Bay district by Augustus Gregory
Augustus Gregory
Sir Augustus Charles Gregory KCMG. was an English-born Australian explorer. Between 1846 and 1858 he undertook four major expeditions.-Early years:...
.
Shenton gave strong support to the Wesleyan Church throughout his life in the colony. From 1841 he was secretary of the Wesleyan Committee, and was a member of the Wesley Church
Wesley Church, Perth
Wesley Church is at 75 William Street at its intersection with Hay Street in Perth, Western Australia. It is one of the oldest church buildings and one of few remaining 19th-century colonial buildings in the City of Perth.-Built form:...
Building Committee. He donated both money and medicine to the church and its missions.
George Shenton died on 5 March 1867, when his schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
, The Lass of Geraldton, capsized off Mandurah
Mandurah, Western Australia
Mandurah is the second-largest city in Western Australia and is located approximately south of the state capital, Perth.The city attracts a large number of tourists, including many international visitors...
in a storm. His financial affairs were taken over by his eldest son George
George Shenton
Sir George Shenton was a prominent businessman in colonial Western Australia, the first Mayor of Perth, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for over thirty years.-Early and family life:...
, who himself became one of the most prominent merchants in Western Australia, a Mayor of Perth, and a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council.