Isaac Isaacs (1 July 1858, Melbourne - 16 January 1935, Adelaide, aged 76) was an

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...

businessman who served as

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

of the

City of Adelaide The City of Adelaide, also known as the Corporation of the City of Adelaide and Adelaide City Council is a local government area in the metropolitan area of greater Adelaide, South Australia and is legally defined as the capital city of Sout ...

from 4 December 1915 to November 1917.

Early years

Isaacs was born in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, the second son of Wolf Isaacs. In 1862 his family moved to

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

, where he was educated at

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

. After "about 25 years' residence in New Zealand", he returned to Victoria.

Victoria

In Victoria he was elected treasurer for the demonstration to celebrate the

Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria The Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated on 20 and 21 June 1887 to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. It was celebrated with a Thanksgiving Service at Westminster Abbey, and a banquet to whic ...

in 1887. In 1889 he was elected grand president for Australasia of the

United Ancient Order of Druids The United Ancient Order of Druids (UAOD) is a fraternal organisation founded in England, in 1833 after a scission with the Ancient Order of Druids. Its motto is ''United to assist''. History The creation in 1833 of the United Ancient Order o ...

; on his retirement from that office he was presented with a gold medal in recognition of 10 years continuous service on the board of directors.

Adelaide

Isaacs left Victoria in July 1899 to live in Adelaide and take the role of managing trustee of the estate of his father-in-law Ralph Raphael. Ralph Raphael had died in 1890, leaving his financial business in the hands of his partner and only son Henry Joseph Raphael who died in 1899.

Adelaide City Council membership

Isaac Isaacs was a member of the Adelaide City Council for 30 years. He served as a councillor from 1902 to 1906, alderman from 1907 to 1915, mayor 1915–1917, and alderman again from 1917 to 1933. He also filled the role of chief magistrate during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, and was chairman of the Finance Committee for more than 12 years.

Public positions

Isaacs was president of the Justice Association, chairman of the

Liberal Federation The Liberal Federation was a South Australian political party from 16 October 1923 to 1932. It came into existence as a merger between the rival Liberal Union and National Party, to oppose Labor. Encouraged by the overwhelming success of the ...

, a representative of the

Municipal Tramways Trust The Municipal Tramways Trust (MTT) was established by the Government of South Australia in December 1906 to purchase all of the horse-drawn tramways in Adelaide, Australia. The Trust subsequently also ran petrol and diesel buses and electric tr ...

, representative of both the City and the Suburban Local Boards of Health on the Central Board of Health, representative of the Adelaide Local Board of Health on the Metropolitan County Board under the Food and Drugs Act, member of the Metropolitan Infectious Diseases Hospital Board and held important positions in other organisations. He was also a land agent and an adjustor of fire claims.

Personal

Isaacs was a football enthusiast, a master of the St Andrews Masonic Lodge, a master of the Southern Cross Masonic Lodge, for three years chief president of the South Australian branch of the

Australian Natives' Association The Australian Natives' Association (ANA) was a mutual society founded in Melbourne, Australia in April 1871. It was founded by and for the benefit of native-born white Australians and membership was restricted exclusively to that group. The A ...

, and president of the Adelaide Jewish Philanthropic Society. He married Zelinda Rosetta Raphael, daughter of Ralph Raphael, one of South Australia's pioneers. She was born in London in 1857 and was brought to Australia as an infant. She died at her home, "Quevedo", 2 Main North Road, Thorngate, on 10 July 1937, aged 80, and was buried at

West Terrace Cemetery The West Terrace Cemetery is South Australia's oldest cemetery, first appearing on Colonel William Light's 1837 plan of Adelaide. The site is located in Park 23 of the Adelaide Park Lands just south-west of the Adelaide city centre, between ...

. She was survived by a son, R.R. Isaacs of Melbourne, and a daughter, Mrs. Mark Hains of Flaxley.

References

Death of Alderman Isaacs
17 January 1935, ''The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA)'', pg.14. Includes a photograph.Death of prominent Adelaide citizen
18 January 1935, ''Northern Standard (Darwin, NT)'', pg.9
, www.adelaidejmuseum.org New Mayor of Adelaide
7 December 1915, ''Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW)'', pg.2New Mayors
6 December 1915, ''The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA)'', pg.9. Includes a photograph. Otherwise, identical to "Barrier Miner" report.Mayors for 1917
28 November 1916, ''The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA)'', pg.10. Except for the first half of the first sentence, identical to 6 December 1915 article - including the same photo. Death of former Mayoress of Adelaide
12 July 1937, ''The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA)'', pg.20City's Wartime Mayoress Dies
10 July 1937, ''The Mail (Adelaide, SA)'', pg.2

External links

*http://www.adelaidejmuseum.org/files/mayorisaacisaacs.jpg Photograph in Mayoral robes {{DEFAULTSORT:Isaacs, Isaac Mayors and Lord Mayors of Adelaide 1858 births 1935 deaths Australian Freemasons Masonic Grand Masters Australian Jews