S. H. (Samuel Henry) Ervin, (21 January 1881 – 29 October 1977), wool

broker A broker is a person or entity that arranges transactions between a buyer and a seller. This may be done for a commission when the deal is executed. A broker who also acts as a seller or as a buyer becomes a principal party to the deal. Neither ...

, collector and philanthropist, was born on 21 January 1881 at

Monkland, Queensland Monkland is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Monkland had a population of 1,135 people. Geography Monkland is a suburb of Gympie, south-east of the centre of Gympie on the north-east bank of the Mary Ri ...

. Generally known as Harry, Ervin was the youngest son of Samuel Ervin and his wife, Matilda. His father died in the same year. His mother later remarried and, during his youth, Harry used his stepfather's surname, Rohde.Australian Dictionary of Biography
Ervin, Samuel Henry (Harry)(1881–1977). Accessed 25 January 2020. The Rohde family moved to

Mosman Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local governm ...

, a Sydney suburb, and Ervin attended

Sydney Church of England Grammar School The Sydney Church of England Grammar School (commonly known as Shore or Shore School) is an independent Anglican school for boys located on Sydney's Lower North Shore, New South Wales, Australia. The school operates across two campuses, offer ...

(Shore). After he left school, Ervin went to Europe where he worked in woollen mills, before returning to Australia. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he took over Lothringer & Co., a firm in which his brother-in-law Karl Lothringer was involved and, in 1927, established S. H. Ervin Limited, wool brokers. In

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Ervin contributed to the war effort as a wool appraiser. His firm later benefited from the post-war wool boom.

Philanthropy

Due to his association with artists at Sirius Cove, Ervin purchased works by a number of artists, including

Norman Lindsay Norman Alfred William Lindsay (22 February 1879 – 21 November 1969) was an Australian artist, etcher, sculptor, writer, art critic, novelist, cartoonist and amateur boxing, boxer. One of the most prolific and popular Australian artists of hi ...

Tom Roberts Thomas William Roberts (8 March 185614 September 1931) was an English-born Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg School art movement, also known as Australian impressionism. After studying in Melbourne, he travelled to Europe i ...

and

Arthur Streeton Sir Arthur Ernest Streeton (8 April 1867 – 1 September 1943) was an Australian landscape painter and a leading member of the Heidelberg School, also known as Australian Impressionism. Early life Streeton was born in Mount Moriac, Victoria ...

. In the 1960s Ervin became a substantial benefactor. In 1962 he gave his collection of paintings to the Australian government and encouraged the erection of a national art gallery. In 1971 he donated $50,000 to the New South Wales branch of the

National Trust of Australia The National Trust of Australia, officially the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT), is the Australian national peak body for community-based, non-government non-profit organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's Ind ...

to purchase Norman Lindsay's home at

Faulconbridge, New South Wales Faulconbridge is a village located in the Blue Mountains. It is about west of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales and is 450 metres above sea level. At the 2016 census, Faulconbridge had a population of 4,025 people. At the 20 ...

and, in 1974, donated $200,000 to restore two buildings at Observatory Hill, Sydney as an art gallery and museum. The buildings were named the

S. H. Ervin Gallery The S. H. Ervin Gallery is a major public art institution housed in the historic National Trust Centre in Observatory Park, Sydney.Conder is named in his honour.

Personal life

On 7 April 1926 Ervin married 38-year-old Muriel Beatrice Gray, nee Appel, who had two daughters from her previous marriage. The Ervins lived at Glanworth,

Darling Point Darling Point is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Woollahra Council. Darling Point is bounded by Sydney Harbour to ...

, and later at The Astor, Macquarie Street, Sydney. Ervin outlived his wife and stepdaughters and died on 29 October 1977.

Philanthropy

Personal life

See also