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{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Userspace draft|source=ArticleWizard|date=November 2012}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
[[File:Henry Edward Downer B-47685.jpg|thumb|Henry Edward Downer (c 1880)]]
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'''Henry Edward Downer''' (22 March 1836 – 4 August 1905) was a South Australian politician. He was a brother of Sir [[John Downer]] and [[George Downer]], and a noted lawyer and businessman.


Henry Edward Downer was born in [[Portsmouth]], England and emigrated to Australia in 1838 with his parents Henry (ca.1812 – 25 September 1870) and Jane (ca.1808 – 4 Jan 1861), arriving in Adelaide in June 1838. His father ran a grocery store in [[Hindley Street, Adelaide|Hindley Street]] (at that time Adelaide's premier shopping strip), in 1848 took on as partner Thomas Graves, who bought him out two years later,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54449242 |title=The Late Mr. T. Graves |newspaper=[[South Australian Register]] |date=13 August 1900 |access-date=16 October 2014 |page=6 |via=Trove}}</ref> later was landlord of the Blenheim Hotel on the same street; they lived first at Hindley Street, followed by [[South Terrace, Adelaide|South Terrace]], then at "St. Bernard's", [[Magill, South Australia|Magill]], where he died after a long illness.
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'''Henry Edward Downer''' (22 March 1836 &ndash; 4 August 1905) was a South Ausralian politician. He was a brother of Sir [[John Downer]] and [[George Downer]], a noted lawyer and businessman.


Henry Edward Downer was born in Portsmouth England and emigrated to Australia in 1838 with his parents, arriving in Adelaide in June 1838. He received an education at Frederick Haire's academy and was articled to the legal firm of Wigley & Richman, working for a time as law clerk. He was called to the Bar in 1859.
Henry received an education at [[Francis Haire]]'s academy and was articled to the legal firm of Wigley & Richman, working for a time as law clerk. He was called to the Bar in 1859.<ref name=death>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4948549 |title=Death of Mr. H. E. Downer |newspaper=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]] |date=5 August 1905 |access-date=14 November 2012 |page=8 |via=Trove}}</ref>


He was appointed Commissioner for Insolvency in 1865 and filled that position until 1881 when he resigned in order to contest the [[South Australian House of Assembly]] for the seat of Encounter Bay. He entered Parliament in 1881 and held the seat until 1896, for two of those terms in conjunction with [[Simpson Newland]].
He was appointed Commissioner for Insolvency in 1865 and filled that position until 1881 when he resigned in order to contest the [[South Australian House of Assembly]] for the seat of [[Electoral district of Encounter Bay|Encounter Bay]]. He entered Parliament in 1881 and held the seat until 1896,<ref name="SA parl">{{Cite SA-parl |pid=3736 |name=Henry Edward Downer |former=yes |access-date=14 November 2022}}</ref> for two of those terms in conjunction with [[Simpson Newland]].


He was appointed Attorney General in May 1890 in the [[John Cockburn (Australian politician)|Cockburn]] ministry, succeeding F. F. Turner (solicitor to the Lands Titles Office; a temporary appointment of April that year following the defeat at the polls of B. A. Moulden),<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47242651 |title=A Political Retrospect |newspaper=[[South_Australian_Register|South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900)]] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=28 April 1890 |accessdate=14 November 2012 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and lost the post with the swearing-in of the [[Thomas Playford II|Playford]] government the following year.
He was appointed [[Attorney-General of South Australia]] in May 1890 in the [[John Cockburn (Australian politician)|Cockburn]] ministry, succeeding [[Frederick Turner (politician)|F. F. Turner]] (solicitor to the Lands Titles Office; a temporary appointment of April that year following the defeat at the polls of [[Beaumont Arnold Moulden|B. A. Moulden]]),<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47242651 |title=A Political Retrospect |newspaper=[[South Australian Register]] |date=28 April 1890 |access-date=14 November 2012 |page=4 |via=Trove}}</ref> and lost the post with the swearing-in of the [[Thomas Playford II|Playford]] government the following year. His political achievements included:
*conversion of the [[Victor Harbor railway line|Strathalbyn to Victor Harbor horse tramway]] to steam locomotive.
*amendments to Insolvency laws
*amendments to Rent laws in 1883 to protect tenants


He was an active Freemason and office-holder of the Anglican Church. He was a keen horseman and twice appointed master of the [[Adelaide Hunt Club]]. He served as steward for the [[Adelaide Racing Club]].
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He died at the home of his son in law Otto Schomburgk.


==Family==
his home "Lyndhurst" on South Terrace, Adelaide.
H. E. Downer married Maria Martin Haggar ( – 11 January 1912) on 13 August 1859. They had a home "Lyndhurst" on South Terrace, Adelaide. Their children included:
*Ada Louisa Downer (23 November 1860 – 1941) married [[Otto Heinrich Schomburgk]] (1857–1938), son of [[Moritz Richard Schomburgk]], on 17 September 1892
*Alice Maria Downer (12 June 1862 – ) married Charles Herbert Warren (c. 1856 – 6 November 1917) on 7 February 1891.
:*(Constance) Jean Warren (1891–1977) married the widower [[Lavington Bonython]] on 11 December 1912.<ref>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |first=Joyce |last=Gibberd |id2=bonython-constance-jean-9539 |title=Bonython, Constance Jean (1891–1977) |access-date 14 November 2012}}</ref> She was later well known as Lady Bonython OBE. They had three children: [[Warren Bonython|Warren]], Katherine and [[Kym Bonython|Kym]].
:She married again, to the widower [[Samuel Bruce Rudall]] (7 March 1859 – 3 January 1945), on 6 October 1923.
*Frank Hagger Downer (18 October 1863 – 19 March 1938) married Charlotte Mary Murray (died 15 September 1920), youngest daughter of [[A. B. Murray]] on 8 August 1900
*(Harold) Charles Downer (24 August 1865 – 27 December 1921) married Bertha Law Smith ( – 11 July 1947) on 17 February 1909. He was manager of Melton station.

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He died at the home of his son-in-law Otto Schomburgk.

== See also ==
*[[Downer family]]


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Downer, Henry Edward}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Downer, Henry Edward}}
[[Category:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly]]
[[Category:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly]]
[[Category:Australian lawyers]]
[[Category:Attorneys-general of South Australia]]
[[Category:19th-century Australian lawyers]]
[[Category:1836 births]]
[[Category:1836 births]]
[[Category:1905 deaths]]
[[Category:1905 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:English emigrants to colonial Australia]]
[[Category:Downer family]]

Latest revision as of 21:03, 25 August 2024

Henry Edward Downer (c 1880)

Henry Edward Downer (22 March 1836 – 4 August 1905) was a South Australian politician. He was a brother of Sir John Downer and George Downer, and a noted lawyer and businessman.

Henry Edward Downer was born in Portsmouth, England and emigrated to Australia in 1838 with his parents Henry (ca.1812 – 25 September 1870) and Jane (ca.1808 – 4 Jan 1861), arriving in Adelaide in June 1838. His father ran a grocery store in Hindley Street (at that time Adelaide's premier shopping strip), in 1848 took on as partner Thomas Graves, who bought him out two years later,[1] later was landlord of the Blenheim Hotel on the same street; they lived first at Hindley Street, followed by South Terrace, then at "St. Bernard's", Magill, where he died after a long illness.

Henry received an education at Francis Haire's academy and was articled to the legal firm of Wigley & Richman, working for a time as law clerk. He was called to the Bar in 1859.[2]

He was appointed Commissioner for Insolvency in 1865 and filled that position until 1881 when he resigned in order to contest the South Australian House of Assembly for the seat of Encounter Bay. He entered Parliament in 1881 and held the seat until 1896,[3] for two of those terms in conjunction with Simpson Newland.

He was appointed Attorney-General of South Australia in May 1890 in the Cockburn ministry, succeeding F. F. Turner (solicitor to the Lands Titles Office; a temporary appointment of April that year following the defeat at the polls of B. A. Moulden),[4] and lost the post with the swearing-in of the Playford government the following year. His political achievements included:

He was an active Freemason and office-holder of the Anglican Church. He was a keen horseman and twice appointed master of the Adelaide Hunt Club. He served as steward for the Adelaide Racing Club.

Family

[edit]

H. E. Downer married Maria Martin Haggar ( – 11 January 1912) on 13 August 1859. They had a home "Lyndhurst" on South Terrace, Adelaide. Their children included:

  • Ada Louisa Downer (23 November 1860 – 1941) married Otto Heinrich Schomburgk (1857–1938), son of Moritz Richard Schomburgk, on 17 September 1892
  • Alice Maria Downer (12 June 1862 – ) married Charles Herbert Warren (c. 1856 – 6 November 1917) on 7 February 1891.
  • (Constance) Jean Warren (1891–1977) married the widower Lavington Bonython on 11 December 1912.[5] She was later well known as Lady Bonython OBE. They had three children: Warren, Katherine and Kym.
She married again, to the widower Samuel Bruce Rudall (7 March 1859 – 3 January 1945), on 6 October 1923.
  • Frank Hagger Downer (18 October 1863 – 19 March 1938) married Charlotte Mary Murray (died 15 September 1920), youngest daughter of A. B. Murray on 8 August 1900
  • (Harold) Charles Downer (24 August 1865 – 27 December 1921) married Bertha Law Smith ( – 11 July 1947) on 17 February 1909. He was manager of Melton station.

He died at the home of his son-in-law Otto Schomburgk.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Late Mr. T. Graves". South Australian Register. 13 August 1900. p. 6. Retrieved 16 October 2014 – via Trove.
  2. ^ "Death of Mr. H. E. Downer". The Advertiser. 5 August 1905. p. 8. Retrieved 14 November 2012 – via Trove.
  3. ^ "Henry Edward Downer". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  4. ^ "A Political Retrospect". South Australian Register. 28 April 1890. p. 4. Retrieved 14 November 2012 – via Trove.
  5. ^ Gibberd, Joyce. "Bonython, Constance Jean (1891–1977)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.
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