Philip Santo
Encyclopedia
Philip Santo was a South Australia
n politician and businessman. He was born at Saltash
, Cornwall
, and trained to be a carpenter. At the age of 22 he left for South Australia
on the ship Brightman, arriving in Adelaide in December 1840. He worked as a builder in Adelaide, then Burra
. He moved to Melbourne during the rush to the Victoria
n goldfields but soon returned to set up a shop in Grote Street near Victoria Square in 1857, then Waymouth Street from 1866, then from 1873 as Philip Santo & Co in Waymouth Street and Lipson Street Port Adelaide
; initially selling timber. then building materials then general hardware, riverboats and ships. By 1880 they had diversified into such disparate goods as patent medicines, perfumes and flavourings, American waggons, brooms, "kerosine", "gasoline" and cabinet organs. The company ceased advertising around 1890.
He was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly
in 1860
for the Adelaide district, 1862
and 1865
for East Adelaide then in 1868
for Barossa and was appointed Commissioner of Public works on a number of occasions for various periods, first in the Waterhouse
cabinet, then with Henry Ayers
to 1868. He lost his seat in 1870, during which year he was elected to the Legislative Council
and held that seat for 21 years. He was an active member of the Church of Christ, Grote Street and frequently preached there as an Elder. He died at his home, "Fernleigh House" on West Terrace, Adelaide.
He was married and had four daughters: Mrs Gore (wife of Rev. T. J. Gore of the Grote St. church), Mrs J. Smith (wife of a business partner), Mrs J. S. Greer and a Miss Santo. His only son, Philip Santo jr., was a prize-winning student at Adelaide Educational Institution and worked for a time in his father's shop, but was diagnosed an having diphtheria and died shortly afterwards on 13 June 1868 leaving a wife and a child.
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...
n politician and businessman. He was born at Saltash
Saltash
Saltash is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a population of 14,964. It lies in the south east of Cornwall, facing Plymouth over the River Tamar. It was in the Caradon district until March 2009 and is known as "the gateway to Cornwall". Saltash means ash tree by...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and trained to be a carpenter. At the age of 22 he left for 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...
on the ship Brightman, arriving in Adelaide in December 1840. He worked as a builder in Adelaide, then Burra
Burra, South Australia
Burra is a pastoral centre and historic tourist town in the mid-north of South Australia. It lies east of the Clare Valley in the Bald Hills range, part of the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, and on Burra Creek. The town began as a single company mining township that, by 1851, was a set of townships ...
. He moved to Melbourne during the rush to the Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
n goldfields but soon returned to set up a shop in Grote Street near Victoria Square in 1857, then Waymouth Street from 1866, then from 1873 as Philip Santo & Co in Waymouth Street and Lipson Street Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
; initially selling timber. then building materials then general hardware, riverboats and ships. By 1880 they had diversified into such disparate goods as patent medicines, perfumes and flavourings, American waggons, brooms, "kerosine", "gasoline" and cabinet organs. The company ceased advertising around 1890.
He was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
in 1860
Members of the South Australian House of Assembly, 1860-1862
This is a list of members of the second parliament of the South Australian House of Assembly, which sat from 27 April 1860 until 22 October 1862. The members were elected at the 1860 state election....
for the Adelaide district, 1862
Members of the South Australian House of Assembly, 1862-1865
This is a list of members of the third parliament of the South Australian House of Assembly, which sat from 27 February 1863 until 25 January 1865. The members were elected at the November 1862 state election....
and 1865
Members of the South Australian House of Assembly, 1865-1868
This is a list of members of the fourth parliament of the South Australian House of Assembly, which sat from 31 March 1865 until 26 March 1868. The members were elected at the 1865 state election.-Notes:...
for East Adelaide then in 1868
Members of the South Australian House of Assembly, 1868-1870
This is a list of members of the fifth parliament of the South Australian House of Assembly, which sat from 31 July 1868 until 2 March 1870. The members were elected at the 1868 state election.*, Parliament of SA, www.parliament.sa.gov.au...
for Barossa and was appointed Commissioner of Public works on a number of occasions for various periods, first 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:...
cabinet, then with 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 :...
to 1868. He lost his seat in 1870, during which year he was elected to the Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
and held that seat for 21 years. He was an active member of the Church of Christ, Grote Street and frequently preached there as an Elder. He died at his home, "Fernleigh House" on West Terrace, Adelaide.
He was married and had four daughters: Mrs Gore (wife of Rev. T. J. Gore of the Grote St. church), Mrs J. Smith (wife of a business partner), Mrs J. S. Greer and a Miss Santo. His only son, Philip Santo jr., was a prize-winning student at Adelaide Educational Institution and worked for a time in his father's shop, but was diagnosed an having diphtheria and died shortly afterwards on 13 June 1868 leaving a wife and a child.