Robert Barr Smith
Encyclopedia
Robert Barr Smith was an Australia
n businessman and philanthropist
.
Smith was born at Lochwinnoch
, Renfrewshire
, Scotland
, the son of the Rev. Dr Robert Smith, a Church of Scotland
minister, and his wife Marjory, née Barr.
Smith studied for a time at the University of Glasgow
, but went into business and afterwards emigrated to Melbourne
, where he was a member of the firm of Hamilton, Smith and Company in 1854. In 1855 he joined Elder and Company at Adelaide and became a partner in the business which from 1863 was known as Elder Smith and Company, now Elders Limited
.
Smith also took up land and became a large owner in South Australia
, Victoria
, New South Wales
and Queensland
. When the Wallaroo
and Moonta
copper
mines got into difficulties, Elder Smith and Company made large advances to them until more profitable times came.
Smith made a name for himself as a financial authority, and though he declined to enter political or municipal life, his advice was frequently sought by politicians and members of the business community of Adelaide
. It has been stated that in the 1893 bank crisis he was besieged by crowds of people seeking guidance. Smith was on the boards of the public library and of the botanic gardens and was a director of several companies. He was a keen judge and lover of horses, his colours were frequently seen at race meetings in South Australia and Victoria, and he was president for a time of the South Australian Coursing Club.
Smith's private charities were very great, and he received a large amount of begging-letter mail. These letters were dealt with systematically and all deserving cases were helped. Smith a member of the Council of the University of Adelaide for nineteen years. Among the larger sums distributed were £9000 to buy books for the University of Adelaide
library, £10,000 to complete the St. Peter's Cathedral spires, £3500 for a steam life-boat and in 1908, £2300 to pay off debts on the Trades Hall. Smith contributed largely to exploration funds, the observatory established on Mount Kosciusko was paid for by him, and he was mainly responsible for the expenses of the first South Australian rifle team sent to Bisley
.
Smith died of senile decay on 20 November 1915. He married Miss Elder, sister of Sir Thomas Elder
, who survived him with a son and three daughters. Smith was an upright and modest man with intellectual sympathies. Smith shrank from publicity and he was said to have refused the offer of a knighthood. In 1920 his family gave £11,000 for the endowment of the library of the University of Adelaide and in 1928 his son, Tom Elder Barr Smith
, born in 1863, gave £30,000 for the Barr Smith library building.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n businessman 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...
.
Smith was born at Lochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch
Lochwinnoch is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder, Lochwinnoch is chiefly a residential dormitory village serving nearby urban centres such as Glasgow and Paisley...
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, 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...
, the son of the Rev. Dr Robert Smith, a Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
minister, and his wife Marjory, née Barr.
Smith studied for a time at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, but went into business and afterwards emigrated to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, where he was a member of the firm of Hamilton, Smith and Company in 1854. In 1855 he joined Elder and Company at Adelaide and became a partner in the business which from 1863 was known as Elder Smith and Company, now Elders Limited
Elders Limited
Elders Limited is an Australian based agribusiness company.It was founded in 1839 in South Australia by Alexander Lang Elder as a new arm of his family's Scottish based merchant and shipping business. Its core business was a trading company and commission agent for wool and other agricultural...
.
Smith also took up land and became a large owner in 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...
, 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....
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. When the Wallaroo
Wallaroo, South Australia
Wallaroo is a port town on the western side of Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, 160 kilometres north-northwest of Adelaide. It is one of the three Copper Triangle towns famed for their historic shared copper mining industry, and known together as "Little Cornwall", the other two being Kadina ...
and Moonta
Moonta, South Australia
Moonta is a town located on the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia, 165 kilometres north-northwest of the state capital of Adelaide. It is one of three towns known as the Copper Coast or "Little Cornwall" for their shared copper mining history....
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...
mines got into difficulties, Elder Smith and Company made large advances to them until more profitable times came.
Smith made a name for himself as a financial authority, and though he declined to enter political or municipal life, his advice was frequently sought by politicians and members of the business community of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. It has been stated that in the 1893 bank crisis he was besieged by crowds of people seeking guidance. Smith was on the boards of the public library and of the botanic gardens and was a director of several companies. He was a keen judge and lover of horses, his colours were frequently seen at race meetings in South Australia and Victoria, and he was president for a time of the South Australian Coursing Club.
Smith's private charities were very great, and he received a large amount of begging-letter mail. These letters were dealt with systematically and all deserving cases were helped. Smith a member of the Council of the University of Adelaide for nineteen years. Among the larger sums distributed were £9000 to buy books for 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...
library, £10,000 to complete the St. Peter's Cathedral spires, £3500 for a steam life-boat and in 1908, £2300 to pay off debts on the Trades Hall. Smith contributed largely to exploration funds, the observatory established on Mount Kosciusko was paid for by him, and he was mainly responsible for the expenses of the first South Australian rifle team sent to Bisley
Bisley, Surrey
Bisley is a large village in Surrey, England, which is notable for rifle shooting. Bisley's immediate neighbours are West End, Chobham and Knaphill.- History :...
.
Thomas Elder
Sir Thomas Elder GCMG was a Scottish-Australian pastoralist, highly successful businessman, philanthropist, politician, race-horse owner and breeder and public figure...
, who survived him with a son and three daughters. Smith was an upright and modest man with intellectual sympathies. Smith shrank from publicity and he was said to have refused the offer of a knighthood. In 1920 his family gave £11,000 for the endowment of the library of the University of Adelaide and in 1928 his son, Tom Elder Barr Smith
Tom Elder Barr Smith
Thomas Elder Barr Smith was a South Australian pastoralist and philanthropist, and the son of Robert Barr Smith.In 1917 his estate was subdivided to form the Adelaide suburb of Torrens Park....
, born in 1863, gave £30,000 for the Barr Smith library building.
Family
- Brother-in-law: Sir Thomas ElderThomas ElderSir Thomas Elder GCMG was a Scottish-Australian pastoralist, highly successful businessman, philanthropist, politician, race-horse owner and breeder and public figure...
(1818-1897) - Son: Tom Elder Barr SmithTom Elder Barr SmithThomas Elder Barr Smith was a South Australian pastoralist and philanthropist, and the son of Robert Barr Smith.In 1917 his estate was subdivided to form the Adelaide suburb of Torrens Park....
(1863-1941) - Grand-son: Sir Tom Elder Barr Smith (1904-1968)