Giles Edward Strangways (1819 – 24 February 1906) was a pioneer of the British colony of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, an associate of

John Finnis John Mitchell Finnis (born 28 July 1940) is an Australian legal philosopher and jurist specializing in jurisprudence and the philosophy of law. He is an original interpreter of Aristotle and Aquinas, and counts Germain Grisez as a major inf ...

and

Charles Sturt Charles Napier Sturt (28 April 1795 – 16 June 1869) was a British officer and explorer of Australia, and part of the European land exploration of Australia, European exploration of Australia. He led several expeditions into the interior of the ...

. He was a brother of

Thomas Bewes Strangways Thomas Bewes Strangways (23 July 1809 – 23 February 1859), generally called "Bewes Strangways" and "T. Bewes Strangways", was an explorer, early settler and Colonial Secretary of South Australia. Strangways was the second son of Henry Bull Stra ...

and an uncle of H. B. T. Strangways, a

Premier of South Australia The premier of South Australia is the head of government in the state of South Australia, Australia. The Government of South Australia follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of South Australia acting as the legislature. The premier i ...

. Giles Strangways was born in

Shapwick, Somerset Shapwick is a village on the Polden Hills overlooking the Somerset Moors, in Somerset, England. It is situated to the west of Glastonbury. History Shapwick is the site of one end of the Sweet Track, a 6,000-year-old, ancient, wooden causew ...

, England, the fourth son of Henry Bull Strangways (died 1829), Colonel-Commandant of the

Polden Hills The Polden Hills in Somerset, England, are a long, low ridge, extending for , and separated from the Mendip Hills, to which they are nearly parallel, by a marshy tract known as the Somerset Levels. They are now bisected at their western end by ...

Militia, and Elizabeth Bewes, sister of Thomas Bewes, MP for

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

. Giles Strangways was among the earliest purchasers of South Australia land, and emigrated on , along with his brother T. Bewes Strangways, with Captain

John Hindmarsh Rear-Admiral Sir John Hindmarsh KH (baptised 22 May 1785 – 29 July 1860) was a naval officer and the first Governor of South Australia, from 28 December 1836 to 16 July 1838. Family His grandfather William Hindmarsh was a gardener in Coni ...

in the

First Fleet of South Australia In 1836, at least nine ships carried the first European settlers from England to the south coast of Australia for the establishment of the City of Adelaide and the province of South Australia. Although not all of the ships sailed together, the ...

, and was present at the proclamation of the province in 1836. In 1838 he accompanied Charles Sturt and John Finnis on their overland cattle drive from Sydney to Adelaide, following the

River Murray The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray; Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Dhungala'' or ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the n ...

. Later in the same year he accompanied Sturt in his abortive attempt to pass through the

Murray Mouth Murray Mouth is the point at which the River Murray meets the Southern Ocean. The Murray Mouth's location is changeable. Historical records show that the channel out to sea moves along the sand dunes over time. At times of greater river flow ...

. By 1856 Giles was living at

Port Elliot Port Elliot is a town in South Australia toward the eastern end of the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is situated on the sheltered Horseshoe Bay, a small bay off the much larger Encounter Bay. Pullen Island (South Australia), Pullen Is ...

, advertising his services as a surveyor. By 1872 he was working for the Government Survey Department. He died at his home at 45 Maesbury Street,

Kensington Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...

Family

Henry Bull Strangways (1779 – 1829) married Elisheba Bewes (c. 1782 – 29 October 1858) in 1807. Their children included: *Henry Bull Strangways (8 March 1808 – 8 April 1884) :*

Henry Bull Templar Strangways Henry Bull Templer Strangways (14 November 1832 – 10 February 1920) was an Australian politician and Premier of South Australia. Strangways was the eldest son of Henry Bull Strangways Jr. of Shapwick, Somerset, England, and his first wife, ...

(1832 – 10 February 1920). He was Premier of South Australia November 1868 - May 1870 :*Cordelia Strangways ( – 4 January 1907) * T(homas) Bewes Strangways (23 July 1809 – 23 February 1859) married Lavinia Albina Fowler (c. 1810 – 22 October 1883) *Capt. Ludlow Edmund Strangways, R.N. (c. 1816 – 9 July 1890) was married to Mabel Strangways ( – 29 September 1916) :*only son Edmond Henry Giles Strangways (1913–1992) married Mary Alice Smallacombe ( ) on 22 June 1940. lived 45 Maesbury, divorced 1951. She married again, to John Clarence "Clarry" Neate on 17 July 1954. *Giles E(dward) Strangways (1819 – 24 February 1906) married Kate Jane ( – c. 9 September 1914) :*eldest son George Strangways ( – 8 June 1924) :*second daughter Alice Strangways ( – 24 February 1919) :*third daughter Cordelia Strangways (26 February 1854 – 12 August 1886) :*fourth daughter Helen Matilda "Minnie" Strangways (c. 1860 – 3 July 1901) married Edward Kelly ( – ) on 28 October 1891 :*youngest daughter Adelina Harriet Maria ( – 27 January 1870) *Lieut.-General George Strangways (c. 1821 – 1 December 1904) was married to Hamilton Dunbar Strangways ( – 10 January 1885)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strangways, Giles Settlers of South Australia Australian surveyors 1819 births 1906 deaths Giles